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Research Article: Clinical outcomes after single-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion in osteoporotic patients with or without paraspinal muscle atrophy: a retrospective study

Date Published: 2026-06-23

Abstract:
Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a major cause of low back pain and disability. In osteoporotic patients undergoing posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), postoperative recovery may be influenced not only by impaired bone quality but also by paraspinal muscle degeneration. However, the prognostic value of paraspinal muscle atrophy (PMA) in this population remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of concomitant PMA on postoperative outcomes in osteoporotic patients with LDH treated with PLIF. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, a retrospective study was performed on LDH patients who underwent single-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) surgery from January 2021 to January 2025. PMA was assessed using functional cross-sectional area (FCSA) and fat infiltration (FI) as quantitative imaging indicators, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and SF-36 were used to evaluate surgical outcomes. In addition to these, the duration of symptoms, body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), blood loss, and hospital stay after surgery were measured for all patients. A total of 142 osteoporotic patients with LDH treated with PLIF were included (OP, n =?90; OP?+?PMA, n =?52). The OP?+?PMA group exhibited significantly greater paraspinal muscle degeneration, with lower FCSA and higher FI% of the bilateral posterolateral lumbar muscle groups. Although both groups improved after surgery, the OP?+?PMA group had persistently higher VAS scores throughout follow-up, worse ODI at 6 and 12 months, and smaller ODI improvement from baseline. SF-36 Bodily Pain scores were significantly lower in the OP?+?PMA group at all time points, while SF-36 Physical Function scores were significantly lower at 6 and 12 months. In addition, improvements in both SF-36 domains from baseline were significantly smaller in the OP?+?PMA group than in the OP group. Among osteoporotic patients with LDH undergoing PLIF, concomitant PMA was associated with poorer postoperative recovery and worse functional prognosis.

Introduction:
Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a major cause of low back pain and disability. In osteoporotic patients undergoing posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), postoperative recovery may be influenced not only by impaired bone quality but also by paraspinal muscle degeneration. However, the prognostic value of paraspinal muscle atrophy (PMA) in this population remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of concomitant PMA on postoperative outcomes in osteoporotic patients with LDH treated with PLIF.

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